Pancasila as the Foundation of Religious Harmony in Indonesia
Nasaruddin Umar
(Professor of Exegesis at the Faculty of Ushuluddin, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta,
Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia)
Indonesia is neither a religious state nor a state that recognizes a single official religion, and it is certainly not a secular state. Indonesia is a Pancasila state where all religions and their adherents are treated equally as Indonesian citizens. There is no exclusive religion that should be more dominant than others, even though one religion is followed by an absolute majority of its citizens.
The separation of state affairs and religious affairs does not automatically make a country secular. Conversely, the state's involvement in managing religious matters does not automatically make it a religious state either. The unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia places the substance and values of religion as very important in national and state life, as stated in the first principle of Pancasila and in the paragraphs of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution.
Both Muslims, as the majority adherents in this country, and adherents of other minority religions do not feel any significant obstacles in practicing their religious teachings. They all feel they equally own this nation under the banner of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
The guarantee of religious freedom for all religious adherents is regulated in the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly in Articles 28E, 28I, 28J, and 29, and is strengthened by a number of other laws and regulations. However, in practicing religion, there are limits that must be observed by all parties to prevent friction with one another that could damage national unity and cohesion.
Religion is part of human rights, but its practice in every country is limited by its constitution and laws to achieve the state's goals. The enactment of Law Number 1/PNPS/1965, intended to regulate the prevention of abuse and/or defamation of religion, in conjunction with Law No. 5/1969 concerning the Declaration of Various Presidential Decrees and Regulations as Laws, is meant to protect against the defamation and deviation from the core teachings of a religion.
Therefore, no one may, in the name of human rights, deliberately and openly express defamation and desecration of the specific teachings of a religion. This law does not regulate the creed or beliefs of citizens but rather resolves problems that arise as a result of the defamation and desecration of a religion's teachings.
What must be cultivated as citizens and as religious communities within the territory of the NKRI is religious, national, and state maturity and wisdom. All parties must avoid anarchic methods in resolving any problem, but on the other hand, all parties must also obey the laws and regulations in force in Indonesia, and the Jemaat Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI) is no exception.
The path chosen by our founding fathers, making Indonesia a Pancasila state, has elegantly succeeded in accommodating the various ethnic and religious interests in this country. All ethnicities, religions, and beliefs feel they own Indonesia and are willing to sacrifice to defend Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Muslims, as the absolute majority inhabitants of this country, do not feel their rights are being emasculated by the minority. This is the wisdom of Indonesian Muslims: prioritizing the national interest without feeling that their subjective identity as a Muslim or as part of the Islamic community is diminished. All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
This article was published in Kompas on Thursday, February 26, 2026.